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Associated Press

Gucci predicts a summer full of flowers

MILAN — The Gucci menswear collection for next summer is short and very sweet.

When after only 10 minutes the models returned to the runway for the finale parade, the fashion crowd still had their notebooks open waiting for more of creative director Frida Giannini's romantic take on next summer.

The show presented Monday, the third day of Milan fashion week, is all about flowers, even if the collection's silhouette is classic from the blazer to the iconic riding pants.

Flowers show up everywhere from embroidery on the cotton knit sweaters to the floral prints that tinge pants, T-shirts, suits and a reinvented Mackintosh raincoat. Floral prints are also used for a silk jumpsuit and the latest Gucci jacket, in the style of a shirt, a popular look on the current Milan runway.

The prints are mostly gleaned from the Gucci archives, but the March 2 birth of Greta could also be responsible for mamma Giannini's romantic mood.

The summer color palette ranges from neutral white, gray and beige to blue and bordeaux, to flashes of military green, yellow and coral. Demure mini polka dots for shirts and trousers is another favorite pattern. According to the fashion notes, the inspiration is the silk tie pattern, but how about baby clothes?

Novelty in the accessory department comes in the classic leather sneaker which accompanied every outfit, and the dual purpose weekend bag which turns from shopper into maxi back pack.